Payback time for Kabayan and Iglesia

For a while, we thought we were watching Net 25, the home of Ka Totoy Talastas and other devout Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) journos. We had to flip channels back and forth ‘coz we thought ex-Gloria veep Noli “Kabayan” de Castro had switched to the INC network to do wall-to-wall coverage of the centennial of the politically influential sect.

Kabayan owns the distinction of being the only journo to be endorsed by the Iglesia (not once, but twice) when he decided to jump to the other side of the fence and become a politico. Now that he’s done with politics and conveniently back in the media, the TV Patrol anchor is the bloc-voting INC’s latest ROI.

For the Iglesia centennial, Kabayan twice broadcast live from Ciudad de Victoria in Bocaue, Bulacan, site of the 55,000-seater Philippine Arena, this week, filing “spezal” (or spatial?) reports each time. Not content with his lengthy KSP (Kabayan Special Patrol) report on the INC arena’s engineering feat on TV Patrol last July 21, Kabayan’s journalistic instincts impelled him to come up with a second installment, a rare 4-minuter on something hitherto unseen on Philippine TV–the rush of vendors for a big religious event!

So enthralling was the story that Kabayan was shocked that a vendor from Quezon City had to take the long, tortuous route through four exits of the NLEx just to sell food items in Bocaue. The highlight of the Peabody-worthy report was the video of INC members erupting into a chorus to greet everyone: “Maligayang Sentenaryo! Yehey!”

And that’s not all. Kabayan promoted two ABS-CBN News Online infographics on the Iglesia before introducing yet another report on the centennial celebrations, this time, about the all-important locations of parking spaces for Iglesia faithful attending the centennial rites.

We’re eagerly awaiting Part 3 of KSP, where we hope Kabayan tells the entire nation how many screws were drilled into the Philippine Arena, because all Filipinos deserve to know.

This is all biblical: “For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” (Gal. 6:7)

Ka Erdy and his followers made that wise political investment 13 years ago when they endorsed Kabayan’s senatorial and vice presidential run.

Today, they have a sympathizer in Ka Noli, a tireless worker in the vineyard of the Lord who’ll move heaven and earth in the Kapamilya newsroom to make sure that INC gets maximum TV Patrol exposure even at the expense of much more important news events.

P.S. Isang taos-pusong pagbati sa ika-100 taong anibersaryo ng Iglesia Ni Cristo (Pagbati mula sa Spin Busters)